“To me, this is not so much about gun control as it is about what’s in men’s hearts, and until we come together as a nation, as a people, to heal as a people, if we don’t do that and this madness continues, we will surely perish as a people,” East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid J. Gautreaux said Sunday.

“Each one of these individuals, married,” he said. “Each one of these individuals have family.”

According to Marine Corps records, Long had a conventional tour in the Marines. He served for five years and retired as a sergeant in August 2010 with an honorable discharge. During that time, he was trained as a data network specialist and attended the Marine School of Infantry, indicating that he received infantry training. He also served as a communications specialist in Iraq from June 2008 to January 2009 and served in Okinawa with the 3rd Marine Air Wing. Nothing in the records indicates any disciplinary actions against him.

Shayla Edwards
Officers with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office search an area near the Hammond Aire Plaza, where Sunday's shooting took place.

The Hammond Aire Plaza, where the shootings took place, is about a mile south of police headquarters and about five miles away from where Alton Sterling was shot and killed by local police on July 5.

Sterling’s death sparked protests and nationwide outrage after video showed two officers overtaking him before shooting him. Other footage also appears to show that Sterling, who was black, was not holding a gun when he was shot.

In the aftermath of Sterling’s death, Jackson wrote on Facebook of the difficulties he faced patrolling the city, the Times reported.

“I swear to God I love this city but I wonder if this city loves me. In uniform I get nasty hateful looks and out of uniform some consider me a threat,” he wrote.

“This city MUST and WILL get better,” he continued. “I’m working in these streets so any protesters, officers, friends, family or whoever, if you see me and need a hug or want to say a prayer. I got you.”

Sunday’s killings also follow police deaths in Dallas less than two weeks ago. In that case, Micah Xavier Johnson, a 25-year-old Army veteran, shot and killed five police officers and injured seven others as a Black Lives Matter protest was winding down. He had no association with the group.

“Five days ago I traveled to Dallas for a memorial service of the officers that were slain there,” he said. “I said that that killer would not be the last person who tries to make us turn on each other, nor will today’s killer. It remains up to us to make sure that they fail. That decision is all of ours. The decision to make sure our best selves are reflected across America, not our worst.”